Cable management apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

Clip-type cable management devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first primary jaw ( 110 ) and a second primary jaw ( 112 ) having interleaved tines are coupled by a hinge pin ( 114 ) around which a primary torsion spring ( 116 ) is disposed to urge the primary jaws pivotally close. A secondary jaw ( 118 ) is disposed on the hinge pin and urged by a secondary torsion spring ( 120 ) pivotally toward the second primary jaw. A lever pin ( 122 ) is disposable in either a storage position or a working position on the first primary jaw so as to differentiate the pivotal opening of the secondary jaw, which is operable through the primary jaws. Resulting device is compact, quick and easy to operate, and packed with an array of functionalities applicable to cables of various sizes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to the organization and management of cables andobjects of similar shapes and properties. Cables are ubiquitous in ourlives, and those associated with electronic devices have exhibitedunprecedented popularity nowadays due to continued and rapid growth ofsuch devices. While people enjoy using headsets, earphones, chargers,audio/video cords, power cords, computers cables and more, we are allfaced with the task and challenge of how to keep them properly managedfor reasons of productivity, ergonomics, protection, safety, and soforth.

Prior to this invention, there have been various tools and devicesadopted to address this common issue. Twist ties, zip ties,hook-and-loop straps, cable retractors, cable wrappers, rubber bands areamong the most seen examples in this regard. Although these tools cansuffice for the purpose of getting cables organized, they appear to havelimitations and drawbacks, and sometimes the problems are so undesirableto users that they would rather leave cables unmanaged than use suchtools. For example, headsets for mobile phones and music players areamong the most commonly used accessories, and far too often an averageuser would find it unpleasant and cumbersome to apply cable organizersbased on tying a strap around the cables or wrapping cables around anobject, especially such operations become frequent and repetitive. Acable retractor, as a different example, offers much improved userinteractions by coiling and uncoiling cables through a spring-loadedcore. The obvious drawback, however, is that cable retractors addsignificant weight and volume to the cables due to inherent mechanicalcomponents. In addition, they typically require a cable to becontinuously smooth, making it seldom suitable for popular items such asheadsets in that their cables almost always have enlarged portions suchas microphones and cable-split reinforcements. Thus, optimal cablemanagement is still an unaddressed or under-addressed everyday issue inour lives, and there remains a strong need for a new type of device thatcan not only serve the basic functional purpose but offer the bestuser-experience such as exceptional ease of use, broad applicability,and other desirable features.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Selected embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the detaileddescription in accordance with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment in accordance withthe invention shown in closed position.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the first embodiment from FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first embodiment from another angle.

FIG. 4 is a front side view of the first embodiment holding a bundle ofcables.

FIG. 5 is a front side view of the first embodiment holding a bundle ofcables of larger diameter.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a section view of the first embodiment corresponding to line7-7 of FIG. 6 showing primary jaws in fully open position and lever pinin storage position.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the first embodiment showing primaryjaws in a fully open position and lever pin in working position.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the first embodiment with primary jaws andlever pin in the same respective positions as those in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a section view of the first embodiment corresponding to line10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the first embodiment clipping onto athin flat object.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the first embodiment from FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a section view of the first embodiment corresponding to line13-13 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a front side view of a second embodiment in accordance withthe invention shown in closed position.

FIG. 15 is a front side view of the second embodiment shown in apartially open position.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the second embodiment from FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a third embodiment in accordance withthe invention shown in a partially open position.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the third embodiment from anotherangle.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the third embodiment showing a cablebeing retained between the two tines of one jaw and secured by the tineof the other jaw.

FIG. 20 is a front side view of a fourth embodiment in accordance withthe invention featuring offset tips.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the fourth embodiment shown in apartially open position.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment in accordance withthe invention featuring a recess-and-protrusion combination on the tipsof jaws.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1-3 initially, a firstembodiment is shown as a clip-type device comprising a first primary jaw110 hingedly connected with a second primary jaw 112 by a hinge pin 114,a primary torsion spring 116 wound around hinge pin 114 urging the pairof primary jaws pivotally toward a closed position, a secondary jaw 118hinged around the same hinge pin 114, a secondary torsion spring 120urging the secondary jaw pivotally toward second primary jaw 112, and alever pin 122 that can be disposed in either a storage position near theend of the handle of first primary jaw 110 or a working position nearits center portion. Second primary jaw 112 features a tine at the end ofits clipping portion and this tine is received in the space between twotines featured on first primary jaw 110 while in the closed position.Primary torsion spring 116 is a double torsion spring with a spacebetween its two coil sections permitting the placement andinterference-free pivotal movement of secondary jaw 118.

FIGS. 4-5 illustrate how the embodiment can manage cables of varioussizes. Referring first to FIG. 4, a cable 130 is folded into a bundle ofmultiple cable segments with a single cable segment being retainedsecurely between secondary jaw 118 and second primary jaw 112 as meansto keep this device attached to the cable at all times if desired. Theremaining cable segments are received in the enclosed space formed bytwo primary jaws. The primary jaws in FIG. 4 appears in a fully closedposition due to relatively small diameter of cable 130 combined withnumber of folds selected for this illustration. This generallyrepresents the lower limit of this embodiment's holding capacity.

When managing cables of larger volumes, this embodiment has a practicalrange of adaptability as illustrated in FIG. 5. In this example, a cable140 has a larger diameter than that of cable 130 in FIG. 4 resulting inan increased overall volume. The embodiment accommodates such volumeincrease with its two primary jaws being partially open, yet stillsecuring all cables as shown. This is accomplished as the opposing tinesfrom the primary jaws remain interleaved and leave no space enough for asingle cable segment to escape.

FIGS. 6-7 illustrate another advantageous feature of the embodiment. Ascan be better seen in the section view in FIG. 7, a notched area on theinner surface of first primary jaw 110 makes contact with the endportion of secondary jaw 118 and forces the latter to pivotally opencounterclockwise while the primary jaws pivotally open up. Thisincreases the holding space between secondary jaw 118 and second primaryjaw 112. When there is a cable being retained in such holding space,this mechanism will effectively loosen the grip on the cable so that theembodiment can slidably move along the cable for desired placementadjustments. The amount of the pivotal movement of secondary jaw 118 isfurther precisely regulated by the primary jaws as shown so that thereis no big enough gap between the tip of secondary jaw 118 and innersurface of second primary jaw 112 to allow unintended escape of theretained cable. Such placement adjustability can be highly desirable tousers for applications such as headset cable management, and thismechanism is far superior to some widely adopted alternatives such asplacing a cable under a largely rigid cable retaining tab on the outersurface of a clipping jaw, or occasionally, replacing the retaining tabwith some type of bulky spring device. A major disadvantage of suchretaining tab structure is that, when making placement adjustments alongthe cable, a user will have to pull the cable without relieving thetight friction hold, which is rather difficult and can cause damages tothe cable. Using the alternative spring device causes inconvenience asit requires separate motions to operate such spring devices. Further, acommon disadvantage of these alternatives is their undesirableappearances due to added bulkiness on their overall form factors. Incontrast, this embodiment not only easily accomplishes strain-relievedcable adjustments with the same single motion involved in operating theprimary jaws but conceals the mechanism completely within the formfactor of the primary jaws resulting in a smaller, sleek profile that ismuch more aesthetically appealing.

FIG. 7 also shows how the space between secondary jaw 118 and secondprimary jaw 112 can accommodate cables of various sizes. The smallestopening they form is when the tip of secondary jaw 118 rests against thebottom of a recess cut approximately half way through the thickness ofthe clipping portion of second primary jaw 112. From that positionsecondary jaw 118 can pivotally open counterclockwise as shown toincrease the opening and hold cables of larger diameters. Unlike somealternative cable retaining methods cited earlier, this mechanismemploys secondary torsion spring 120 to ensure proper holding tensionthroughout its adjustable range so that a cable can be retained in asecure and damage-free fashion.

FIGS. 8-10 illustrate yet another feature that allows easy attachment ordetachment of a cable in and out of the space formed by secondary jaw118 and second primary jaw 112. This is assisted by lever pin 122 beingtaken out of its storage position and placed in its working position asshown. Referring particularly to FIG. 10, as the handle of first primaryjaw 110 pivotally moves toward the handle of second primary jaw 112,lever pin 122, now in working position, contacts the end portion ofsecondary jaw 118 and forces it to pivotally move counterclockwise alongwith first primary jaw 110 around the shared hinge pin 114 until bothprimary jaws are fully open relative to each other. This forcessecondary jaw 118 to pivotally open to a greater extent than it wouldwithout the engagement of lever pin 122 as shown in FIG. 7 previously,creating enough clearance between secondary jaw 118 and second primaryjaw 112 so that the cable intended to be retained therein can easilyslide in or out. Similar to adjusting the cable placement recitedearlier with FIG. 7, this operation is also performed using the samesimple motions of opening both primary jaws once lever pin 122 is in itsworking position. As bonus functions, lever pin 122 can be used as areset pin for a variety of electronic devices and as a tool to eject aSIM card for certain mobile phones.

In certain applications such as managing the cable of a headset, a userwill find it very useful to be able to affix a point of the cable tocertain places such as the edge of the user's wearing apparel or a bagstrap for the purposes of maintaining the microphone in an optimalposition and relieving strains from the user's ears caused by the weightof the headset. The following illustrations referencing FIGS. 11-13 showhow this embodiment can readily accomplish this with precision controland other beneficial features. These drawings generally represent that auser has first attached this embodiment to the cable of a headset(headset and cable not depicted) using secondary jaw 118 as previouslyillustrated. The user then anchors the headset by clipping theembodiment to a flat, thin object 150, which can generally represent theuser's clothes or another desirable place. Because the same pinch motionis also used to loosen the grip of secondary jaw 118 on the cable,staged release controls have been designed to ensure that it will notintroduce unintended effects. As best shown in FIG. 13, while theembodiment is attached to object 150, there is still ample pivotalmovement clearance between the notched area on the inner surface offirst primary jaw 110 and the end portion of secondary jaw 118, andsecondary jaw 118 will only move when the first primary jaw 110continues to open to a fairly excessive extent so that its notchedrecess area presses the end portion of secondary jaw 118 as previouslyrecited. Such clearance allows the user to open the primary jaws bigenough so as to easily clear the thickness of object 150 yet preventingthe inadvertent slip of the cable held between secondary jaw 118 andsecond primary jaw 112. Further, there is another feature incorporatedto minimize potentially undesirably impact on object 150 by the clippingforce of the embodiment. Specifically, the objective is to minimize thedeformation effect introduced by the interleaved tines as bestillustrated in FIG. 12, in which the tines of both first primary jaw 110and second primary jaw 112 are substantially straight and so arrangedthat the space between the two tines of first primary jaw 110 is onlyslightly larger than the width of the tine of second primary jaw 112.The purpose of having such substantially reduced gaps between adjacenttines is to substantially reduce or practically prevent the deformingand snagging effects these tines have on object 150, especially when theobject is thin and made of less rigid materials such as fabric.

The primary-jaw-and-secondary-jaw combination can take various forms.For example, although only one secondary jaw was used in theillustrations of the first embodiment, a pair of secondary jaws wouldwork in a very similar way except that, instead of having a singlesecondary jaw form an inner clip with one of the primary jaws, thesepair of secondary jaws would form an inner clip that is operable by theouter clip formed by a pair of primary jaws. Additionally, the secondaryjaws can have other forms under the same principle of having primaryjaws operate secondary jaws.

One such example is illustrated with a second embodiment having amodified secondary jaw feature as shown in FIGS. 14-16. Instead of usinga dedicated torsion spring to urge a secondary jaw, this embodimentfeatures a pair of simplified secondary jaws: a first secondary jaw 218and a second secondary jaw 220, which can be made of elastic materialssuch as spring steel, arranged in an offset manner, and directlyembedded in a first primary jaw 210 and a second primary jaw 212,respectively. Similar to the first embodiment, a hinge pin 214 and atorsion spring 216 are adapted to couple primary jaws and urge themtoward a closed position as shown in FIG. 14. It also shows a small,approximately triangle space between the primary jaws and secondary jawsin this closed position so that a cable can be properly retainedtherein, and the elastic properties of the secondary jaws can helpaccommodate cables of different sizes and ensure proper holding force.As the primary jaws open as shown in FIGS. 15-16, secondary jaws alsoopen up so as to increase the aforementioned cable-retaining space andallow the slidable adjustments of the cable retained in such space,similar to the feature illustrated with the first embodiment. Alsobecause the secondary jaws are elastic, it is easy to select theirshapes, dimensions, and locations relative to primary jaws so that oncethe primary jaws are opened to the point where a user wants to attach ordetach the cable in or out of the secondary jaws, the user canaccomplish so by applying a small amount of force to the cable toovercome the elastic resistance of the secondary jaws. The cable, on theother hand, would still be effectively enclosed behind the secondaryjaws if no such force was applied, benefiting the user in a similarmanner to what's discussed with the first embodiment.

These first two embodiments featuring secondary jaws can be attached toa cable, such as that of a headset, at all times so that a user needsnot to worry that such a device may be lost or misplaced. Theseembodiments can of course be tailored to support different applicationsor preferences of users without using secondary jaws while stilloffering ways to keep devices at point of use. FIGS. 17-19 illustrate athird embodiment comprising a first jaw 310 hinged together with asecond jaw 312 by a hinge pin 314 on which a torsion spring 316 ismounted to urge the pair of primary jaws pivotally toward a closedposition. Second jaw 312 features a tine at the end of its clippingportion, and the tine is received in the space between two correspondingtines featured on first jaw 310 while in the closed position.

Similar to previous embodiments, this third embodiment is extremely easyto operate and can adapt to cables of different sizes. Additionally,FIG. 19 shows a new way to attach the embodiment to a cable 350 usingthe unique structure of interleaved tines. This is accomplished byplacing the cable in the space between the tines of first jaw 310. Asthe torsion spring urges both jaws pivotally toward the closed position,the tine of second jaw 312 presses against the cable and secures it inplace. This is a convenient feature to keep the embodiment precisely atthe point of use and readily accessible. To help protect the retainedcable from possible pinch damages in this manner, furthermore, the tipprofiles of these interleaved tines are such that they have sufficientinteractive portions so as to increase their contact areas on the cable,which not only help grip the cable more stably and securely butpractically reduce the pinch pressure to a safe and undamaging level.Such enlarged profiles also help improve the overall stability of theembodiment that is likely made in a less-than-perfectly-rigid fashion,when such interactive portions directly engage against each other as inthe closed position, so that the engaged tines will not slip relative toeach other and there is no need to provide any separate stops orsupports, which may interfere with cables being managed, elsewhere inthe overall structure.

The first embodiment can also be used in the same way for the samepurpose, yet the tines featured in this third embodiment have differentgeometry than that of the first embodiment to better facilitate the useof this kind. Specifically, the space between the tines of first jaw 310is tapered so that it maximizes at the tip of the tines and graduallydecreases inward; consistently, the width of the tine of second jaw 312is such that it minimizes at the tip of the tine and gradually increasesas measured away from the tip. Such variable space between adjacenttines has two advantages for this type of application: one is that itmakes the operation of attaching the embodiment to a cable easierbecause there is an increased clearance at the point of entry betweenthe tines of first jaw 310; the other is that it allows the embodimentto accommodate thicker cables without increasing the overall width ofthe embodiment or decreasing the widths of the tines toward their roots,which would adversely affect the mechanical strength of those tines. Inthe case that a cable is too thick to be held against the bottom of thespace between the two tines of first jaw 310, it will still suffice forthe purpose as long as the cable can at least partially enter the spaceand secured by the tine of second jaw 312.

All embodiments so far have been illustrated with interleaved tines toexemplify how they function to accommodate cables of various sizes andsupport additional benefits. There are of course alternative overlappingforms that can be adapted to achieve similar results. For example, asshown in FIGS. 20-21 as a fourth embodiment, a clip-type devicecomprises a first jaw 410, a second jaw 412, a hinge pin 414 connectingthe two jaws, and a torsion spring 416 urging the two jaws toward aclosed position. The tip portions of the jaws are disposed in an offsetfashion so as to have a range of holding capacity similar to that ofembodiments having interleaved tines.

A fifth embodiment is shown in FIG. 22 as another variation. Sharing thesame hinge pin and torsion spring as the fourth embodiment, this examplefeatures a first jaw 510 having a recess 560 at its tip portion and asecond jaw 520 having a matching protrusion 562 at its tip portion. Thisrecess-and-protrusion combination functions in a similar way to bothinterleaved tines and offset tips with regard to holding cables ofvarious volumes.

Considering the structures, operations, and functions described thusfar, it is evident that these cable management devices in accordancewith the invention not only have rich features but are extremely easyand quick to operate. Putting it into perspective, any user who enjoysthe ease of use of a conventional clip can apply the same single pinchmotion and readily accomplish all of the following functions:

(a) keeping cables managed with proper tension;

(b) quickly gripping cables into a managed state and deploying cablesfrom the managed state;

(c) applying a single device to a range of cable sizes or to a cablefolded into a bundle in different manners;

(d) attaching the device to the cable, permanently or ad hoc, to preventmisplacement and ensure that the device is always at point of use;

(e) quickly adjusting the position of the device relative to the cable;and

(f) attaching the device along with retained cable to an object such asuser's clothes for additional benefits.

As far as user-friendliness is concerned, what's more, a user will findit just as quick and easy to perform certain combinations of thosefunctional steps. Using the first embodiment, for example, the user mayfirst attach the device to the cable of a headset then affix the devicealong with the cable to his or her clothes via the primary jaws. Whenthis user wants to make necessary adjustments to better position themicrophone, all he or she has to do is using two fingers to pinch openthe primary jaws to approximately their full extent, which allows thedetachment of the device from the clothes and meanwhile loosens the gripof the secondary jaw on the cable. While keeping the same pinch hold,the user simply slides the device along the cable to a desired spot andreleases the pinch hold to reattach it back on the clothes. If this userdemands high precision, he or she may release the pinch hold abouthalf-way after repositioning the device relative to the headset cable,which re-engages the grip of the secondary jaw on the cable. Then theuser selects the precise affixing spot on the clothes and fully releasesthe device there. Because there are no other discrete motions required,all such adjustments are accomplished quickly and naturally. This kindof exceptional ease of use is particularly valuable when the operationsare performed frequently or in situations such as operating a motorvehicle where for safety reasons, the user can only afford one hand todo all intended cable deployments and adjustments.

As recited previously, furthermore, a user can take the advantage of theintegrated lever pin and use it as a handy tool to reset electronicdevices or eject SIM cards from certain mobile phones.

Finally, all of the above functionalities and user-friendly features arepacked into a compact and smooth form factor bearing the aestheticssuperior to many far less functional alternative devices.

While the above description contains many specificities, these shouldnot be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as anexemplification of the embodiments thereof. Many other variations arepossible within the teachings of the disclosure.

For example, the jaws of the devices can include different numbers oftines, and those tines can take various particular shapes. Whenoverlapping tips are featured for either primary jaws or secondary jaws,they can be interleaved tines, offset tips, a recess-and-protrusioncombination, or their equivalents. Additionally, there is no requirementas to how much the tips of primary jaws have to overlap, as long as theyare substantially overlapped so as to vary the holding space in betweenthem and securely retain a relatively large range of cable volumes. Thisis to distinguish from certain existing clips, such as selected onesused on headsets, which technically may have slightly overlapped tipportions. However, this kind of feature is clearly intended fordifferent purposes such as increasing the friction hold when clippedonto a user's clothes and is not suitable for managing cables of variousvolumes. For devices featuring simplified secondary jaws as illustratedin the second embodiment, such secondary jaws can be affixed to primaryjaws through assembly or integrated with primary jaws through processessuch as injection molding. Also such secondary jaws can be entirelyelastic, such as tabs made of spring steel, or just have at least aportion that is elastic, such as adding a rubber tip to a hard moldedplastic member that extends from the surface of a primary jaw. It isalso possible to use such secondary jaws that are not elastic at all, aslong as these secondary jaws are operable through primary jaws to varytheir cable-retaining space so that the cable can be properly retained,position-adjusted, and detached as desired by operating the primaryjaws. Further, there can be a plurality of above mentioned secondaryjaws or just one as long as it can form a functional enclosure to retainat least one cable or one cable section separately from other cables orcable sections. Lastly, for the first two embodiments and theirequivalents featuring at least a secondary jaw operable through theprimary jaws, overlapping tips are not indispensable to the primary jawstructure in order for a user to enjoy many benefits such devices haveto offer, although their adaptability to different cable volumes maybecome substantially limited.

For a second example, a hinge pin is used in combination with the jawsto constitute a hinge means for connecting the jaws and regulating theirpivotal movement relative to each other around the axis of the hinge. Inadditional to a hinge pin, such hinge means can include all theequivalent variations such as a rivet, a screw, and nut-and-boltcombination, and a recess-and-protrusion combination defining theconnection and pivotal mobility between the jaws. In the case that atorsion spring is used without a conventional hinge pin around which thetorsion spring is typically wound, the torsion spring can stay unhingedand still suffice for the purpose of urging a pair of jaws towardclosure as seen in many applications. Similarly, the secondary torsionspring used in the first embodiment can be replaced by a flat springbent into a V-shape disposed between the end potion of the secondary jawand the second primary jaw without touching the hinge pin, and thisalternative can be beneficial due to simplified assembly. Further, itwould not deviate from the principle of the invention if a deviceemployed a plurality of hinge means at the same time such as one for thepair of primary jaws yet a separate one dedicated to the secondary jawand one of the primary jaws, as opposed to the shared hinge pinstructure in the first embodiment.

For a third example, the lever pin disposable in the storage positionand in the working position in the first embodiment is provided as anengagement mechanism to open the secondary jaw to a greater extent thanit would without such mechanism. The essence of this mechanism is suchthat an object is disposable in different positions so as todifferentiate the magnitude of second jaw's pivotal movement. Thus, itwill be very easy for a person skilled in the art to use alternativeapparatus to accomplish the same. One such apparatus can be a slidingmember mounted on a primary jaw so that the sliding member can beslidably disposed to engage the secondary jaw in order to increase itspivotal movement. Another such apparatus can be a hinged member mountedon a primary jaw so that the hinged member can be pivotally disposed toengage the secondary jaw for the same purpose. Yet another equivalentapparatus can be a spacer disposed between the two handles of theprimary jaws so as to limit the opening of the secondary jaw by limitingthe opening of the primary jaws, then the spacer can be disposed away toallow the full opening of the primary jaws, leading to the increasedopening of the secondary jaw. The engagement mechanism that disposes thelever pin or its equivalents, collectively referred to as levers, intoand away from a working position can be a linear movement, a rotarymovement, or a combination of both. Further, such levers are notstrictly indispensable for increasing the opening of the secondary jaw.A user may simply use a finger or an external tool to assist in urgingthe secondary jaw open by a greater amount.

For a fourth example, a torsion spring in all embodiments can bereplaced by another elastic member such as an annular spring, a clipspring, a flat spring, a compression spring, an extension spring, arubber band, or an elastic part integrated in the pair of jaws which canbe made of more or less elastic materials such as elastic plastic. Thiselastic member can be incorporated in many suitable ways to interactwith the jaws as long as it results in the jaws being urged toward aclosed position.

Additionally, size, material, or manufacturing process is not essentialto this invention. Although under current state of the art, certaincomponents are more commonly made in certain ways, such as in the firstembodiment using a metal hinge pin, injection-molded thermoplastic jaws,and torsion springs made of spring steel, all components of thosedevices can be made of many commercially available materials by variousmanufacturing processes into different sizes. Also the definition ofcable used throughout this disclosure should be broadly construed asgeneral representation of elongated objects such as cables, cords,wires, strings, straps, laces, rods, and tubes. Further, when a cable isreferred to, it can mean a single standalone cable or its equivalentssuch as a parallel double-corded cable as seen in many earphones andheadsets. Similarly, when cables are referred to, they can be aplurality of individual cables, a single cable folded or coiled into abundle, or a combination of the two.

Accordingly, the invention should not be narrowly construed as theembodiments or examples described and illustrated heretofore. Referenceshould be made to the appended claims and their legal equivalents indetermining the full scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for managing cables, comprising: afirst primary jaw; a second primary jaw; a hinge means connecting saidfirst primary jaw and said second primary jaw; a primary elastic memberinteracting with and urging said first primary jaw and said secondprimary jaw pivotally toward a closed position around the axis of saidhinge means; a first secondary jaw pivotally disposed on the axis ofsaid hinge means between said first primary jaw and said second primaryjaw, said first secondary jaw coupled with and operable by said firstprimary jaw and said second primary jaw; and a secondary elastic memberurging said first secondary jaw toward a closed position so as tosecurely retain at least one cable between said first primary jaw andsaid second primary jaw.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said firstprimary jaw and said second primary jaw in said closed position haveoverlapping tips selected from the group consisting of interleavedtines, offset tips, and a recess-and-protrusion combination so as toaccommodate a predetermined range of cable volume between said firstprimary jaw and said second primary jaw.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein said overlapping tips are substantially straight interleavedtines engageable with substantially reduced gaps therebetween, saidoverlapping tips having substantially flat ends, whereby said firstprimary jaw and said second primary jaw can clip onto less rigid objectswith substantially reduced deforming and snagging effects.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said first secondary jaw is disposed inrelation to said first primary jaw and said second primary jaw in such amanner that said first secondary jaw is not engaged by said firstprimary jaw and said second primary jaw to move until said first primaryjaw and said second primary jaw pivotally move away from each other fromsaid closed position by a predetermined amount.
 5. The apparatus ofclaim 4, further comprising a lever disposable in a working position onthe combination of said first primary jaw and said second primary jaw soas to engage with and increase the opening of said first secondary jaw.6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said lever is disposable in saidworking position by an engagement mechanism selected from the groupconsisting of linear movement, rotary movement, and a combinationthereof.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said primary elasticmember is selected from the group consisting of a torsion spring, anannular spring, a clip spring, a flat spring, a compression spring, anextension spring, a rubber band, and an elastic part integrated in thecombination of said first primary jaw and said second primary jaw. 8.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said secondary elastic member isselected from the group consisting of a torsion spring, an annularspring, a clip spring, a flat spring, a compression spring, an extensionspring, a rubber band, and an elastic part integrated in the combinationof said first primary jaw, said second primary jaw, and said firstsecondary jaw.
 9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said first primaryjaw and said second primary jaw have interleaved tines, said hinge meansis a hinge pin, said primary elastic member is a primary torsion springwound around said hinge pin, said first secondary jaw is pivotallydisposed onto said hinge pin so as to form an enclosed space with saidsecond primary jaw, said secondary elastic member is a secondary torsionspring urging said first secondary jaw toward said second primary jaw,the inner surface of said second primary jaw has a recess of apredetermined depth receiving the tip portion of said first secondaryjaw, and said lever is a lever pin slidably disposable in said workingposition.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a secondsecondary jaw urged by said secondary elastic member toward said firstsecondary jaw so as to form an inner clip between said first primary jawand said second primary jaw.
 11. An apparatus for managing cables,comprising: a first primary jaw; a second primary jaw; a hinge meansconnecting said first primary jaw and said second primary jaw; a primaryelastic member interacting with and urging said first primary jaw andsaid second primary jaw pivotally toward a closed position around theaxis of said hinge means; and a secondary jaw coupled with and operableby said first primary jaw and said second primary jaw so as to be ableto retain at least one cable, said secondary jaw disposed in relation tosaid first primary jaw and said second primary jaw such that saidsecondary jaw is not engaged by said first primary jaw and said secondprimary jaw to move until said first primary jaw and said second primaryjaw pivotally move away from each other from said closed position by apredetermined amount.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprisinga lever disposable in a working position on the combination of saidfirst primary jaw and said second primary jaw so as to engage with andincrease the opening of said secondary jaw.
 13. The apparatus of claim11, wherein said primary elastic member is a double torsion springhaving two coil sections and a space therebetween, said secondary jawdisposed in said space.
 14. The Apparatus of claim 11, wherein saidfirst primary jaw and said second primary jaw in said closed positionhave overlapping tips selected from the group consisting of interleavedtines, offset tips, and a recess-and-protrusion combination so as toaccommodate a predetermined range of cable volume between said firstprimary jaw and said second primary jaw.
 15. The Apparatus of claim 14,wherein said overlapping tips are substantially straight interleavedtines engageable with substantially reduced gaps therebetween, saidoverlapping tips having substantially flat ends, whereby said firstprimary jaw and said second primary jaw can clip onto less rigid objectswith substantially reduced deforming and snagging effects.
 16. TheApparatus of claim 11, further comprising a secondary elastic memberurging said secondary jaw toward either said first primary jaw or saidsecond primary jaw.
 17. The Apparatus of claim 11, wherein saidsecondary jaw is pivotally disposed around said hinge means to retainsaid at least one cable against said second primary jaw such that thegap between the tip of said secondary jaw and the inner surface of saidsecond primary jaw is smaller than the diameter of said at least onecable when said first primary jaw and said second primary jaw are in afully open position, whereby unintended detachment of said at least onecable is prevented.
 18. An apparatus for managing cables, comprising: afirst primary jaw; a second primary jaw; a hinge means connecting saidfirst primary jaw and said second primary jaw; a primary elastic memberinteracting with and urging said first primary jaw and said secondprimary jaw pivotally toward a closed position around the axis of saidhinge means; a secondary jaw disposed between said first primary jaw andsaid second primary jaw, said secondary jaw coupled with and operable bysaid first primary jaw and said second primary jaw; and a secondaryelastic member urging said secondary jaw toward a closed position so asto securely retain at least one cable against said second primary jaw.